This Week's Voice: "New Directors/New Films," DOOM, John Updike and John Leonard, Goodbye Solo, Best in Show, and More

Clockwise from top left: Autumn, fest-opener Amreeka, Alexis Dos Santos's Unmade Beds, Cold Souls, and Mid-August Lunch.

In this week's Village Voice Music Section, Phillip Mlynar asks DOOM, rap's biggest enigma, if he's heard any good jokes lately.

Larry Blumenfeld crosses borders, hearts with the Afro-Cuban All-Stars.

Richard Gehr on the beautiful chaos of composer and percussionist Lukas Ligeti.

Dennis Romero talks to Dutch visionary DJ Joris Voorn about his new Balance 014.

In Books, Zach Baron's Lit Seen on writers-at-rest John Leonard and John Updike.

In Film, we unveil our "New Directors/New Films" package on the occasion of the series' 39th year. To wit: John Anderson on director Ondi Timoner; Nicolas Rapold in conversation with Dutch filmmaker Esther Rots; Melissa Anderson on Korean director So Yong Kim; Anthony Kaufman on East Village-based director Sophie Barthes; and John Anderson again on Louis Psihoyos's dolphin-doc The Cove.

Elsewhere, Scott Foundas reviews Ramin Bahrani's quietly profound Goodbye Solo.

J. Hoberman's Cine Phile is on Hollis Frampton.

Plus reviews of the 'Jules Dassin Tribute' at Film Forum, The Haunting in Connecticut, and American Swing.

In Art, Robert Shuster's Best in Show picks.

In Theater, Michael Feingold on three darkly provocative and/or funny plays: The Good Negro, Incident at Vichy, and Blithe Spirit.

James Hannaham subjects playwright Christopher Durang to a Voice inquisition.

Plus Michael Musto on hetero sex clubs, Ask A Mexican!, and more...